Simon Cowell sits on a balcony overlooking the pool at the Beverly Hilton hotel and lights another cigarette. It's a tumultuous time for the fiery Brit, whose baby-daddy drama is dominating tabloid headlines just a month before The X Factor ...

TV Guide

Simon Cowell sits on a balcony overlooking the pool at the Beverly Hilton hotel and lights another cigarette. It's a tumultuous time for the fiery Brit, whose baby-daddy drama is dominating tabloid headlines just a month before The X Factor is set to premiere its do-or-die third season in the United States. But Cowell has rarely appeared more at ease. "I think you're really going to like it more this year," he says of his singing competition.

After last season's addition of judge Britney Spears proved to be a multimillion-dollar dud and original panelist L.A. Reid jumped ship (Demi Lovato is the only holdover from Season 2), Cowell again ­restructured the panel, this time ­focusing on experience and chemistry. Enter Kelly ­Rowland, a former member of ­Destiny's Child who worked on the U.K. version of The X Factor in 2011, and Paulina Rubio, a Latina superstar whose previous gigs include coaching the Mexican edition of The Voice. Mario Lopez will take on full hosting duties, after sharing last season with Khloe Kardashian.

The format itself is also undergoing some tweaks. Here, Cowell and his team discuss the show's new direction.